Chapter 323

Chapter 323

Translator: yun

As soon as he spoke the end of his sentence, I started shaking my head in a fit. But at the same time, I knew that throwing a fit would be useless.

“I’ll take care of the barrier.”

No, you can’t,

“The last emperor of this Empire, is fated to end up just like me.”

This was too cruel. You lot were too cruel... Kaltanias, was that what she wanted to tell me?

“I can’t believe I have to lose something to make my wish come true.”

With my face covered, I burst into laughter. A hollow empty laugh. I could understand why her smile had been so relaxed in her final moments.

“Seriously, all these gods are such bastards.”

I agreed. Huh, seriously. He was just another one of their victims. Wasn’t he?

It was strange. As the victims of their actions gathered, another perpetrator was created and so was another victim. I wondered why.

“Alright. Amor, you can take charge of the barrier.”

Why was fate pushing me towards the end of the cliff? Who knew living would be this tiring, as I clung for dear life so that I wouldn’t have to die? I tugged at his clothes before holding his cheek.

“But I don’t permit you to die. You will live. You will live and so will I and we’ll live happily ever after.”

“.....”

“No matter what happens, you cannot die. You–You’re just falling asleep.”

“... Right.”

“I will definitely come to wake you up after everything is over.”

A soft smile curled his eyes.

“Alright, Rosé.”

Amor brought my hand to his lips before kissing its palm.

“I shall heed your command.”

The templars returned to their positions and once again, the sigil was activated. The only differences now were the person standing in the middle of the circle and the colour the sigil glowed in.

Instead of a reddish-purple, the sigil was now coloured a bright green. The Crown of the Emperor, the Ring of the Lord and the diary that were amplifying his powers were also coloured green.

“Amor.”

Our eyes met as I stood outside the sigil.

“Sleep well.”

“I will.”

Perhaps this would be our last time together.

“When you wake up, I won’t be letting you sleep again.”

He smirked.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

The sigil was activated. As soon as the intangible energy seeped into the crystal, he shuddered vigorously. And at that moment, the ceiling cracked open.

“I love you. I’ll be waiting.”

Even with the explosive sounds swallowing all in its soundscape, I knew instinctively. That my words would be relayed to him.

“The moment you bloomed in my winter.”

I smiled broadly. With tears streaming down my cheek.

“You shall bring me my spring.”

Amor opened his mouth but unfortunately, the explosions only got louder and I could no longer hear him.

Our separation was not disappointing. We were just going to be apart for a while. Weren’t we?

Under the clear sky, the crystal shot a beam of green light upwards. The beam thickened till it looked like a tree. A tree that had anchored itself to the crystal and was extending across the country.

Right, I knew it would be a tree.

“My tree, my flower.”

I love you.

“It will just be for a little while.”

Until we meet again.

“Bye.”

***

–Ephesus

The battle was a difficult one. The wounds left behind by this fierce struggle were devastating. There was blood, bodies scattered all over the place, those who would never be able to close their eyes and those who managed to sputter the last tremor their body could muster.

Ray kicked off the ground and flew into the air. As he sliced and sliced, blood shot through the air. Then, a sword flew towards him.

‘Based on its length, it’s a longsword.’

It was a longsword that was rarely seen in Kaltanias. Ray squeezed the sword he had been holding.

‘My sword is short in length.’

The gladius he was wielding would be disadvantageous in a distant fight.

Clang!

As soon as Ray stepped out, the sword his opponent was wielding struck his blade. However, the opponent soon let out a groan as if something he had not expected had occurred.

‘I missed.’

After slightly relaxing his posture, Ray aimed for the opponent’s helmet. Silver hair fluttered in front of his eyes, as the iron helmet clattered on the ground.

‘He’s coming again.’

He gripped his sword tighter.

Clang!

Hernan, who had blocked Castor’s condensed divinity, spat out blood.

“It’s strange.”

Through the smoke, Castor frowned for the first time. The silver blades rushed towards each other. Clang, the two faced each other with the swords against each other.

“Why aren’t you dying?”

“.....”

“I’ve just realised. With those injuries of yours, you shouldn’t be alive.”

Castor’s powers which he had built and gathered for thousands of years was beyond what an individual could go up against.

How many times had he cut him down now? As he protected Marissa, Hernan was struck again and again. No matter how strong the last remaining Templar of the Beasts was, this vitality of his was ridiculous.

Puft. A clear stab into flesh rang in his ears. Blood dripped from Castor’s blade.

“I had sworn.”

HIs white hair was tinged in red. And even his white clothes were no longer white.

“... Even if I die, I swore to die in front of her.”

The sword that had pierced his stomach precisely . Despite his fatal injury, he was still alive.

“Did you? How foolish of you. Why would you extend your life that way? You know what would end up happening.”

“.....”

“This means you’d die the moment you see her.”

An oath sworn on the River Styx was absolute and the stronger the templar, the more powerful the oath. In other words, the oath he made to only die in front of Ashley made it so that he could never die unless he stood in front of her.

“I already know that.”

Hernan’s pale pristine face drew a dazzling smile.

“Castor, I’ve already mentioned this before. But you’re going to lose.”

“.....”

“Do you know why?”

Hernan spat out blood. But he did not spit out that much. Perhaps because he no longer had any more blood to throw up.

“Because you’re alone.”

If the path Ashley wanted him to traverse led him to the end of the cliff, he would run towards it without hesitation. Ashley, that girl was his life and his temple.

As soon as Hernan stepped back, Castor swung his blade down. With a sword piercing through the other’s stomach, Hernan struck his sword into the ground.

The ground quaked. With the cracking ground, even Castor had no choice but to lose his balance.

Even for a moment... it’d be alright if just for one moment.

But as if betraying all expectations, Castor quickly turned back around and he reached his hand out bone-chillingly.

The sword moved so fast, he couldn’t get up on time even with divinity. So, he stopped the approaching blade with his hand and it pierced through his palm. Ray’s expression fell into one of dismay.

‘That had been the perfect opportunity!’

Clenching his teeth, Ray did not let go of his blade but just then, his navy eyes widened.

“Using yourself as bait, not a bad idea.”

Ray grabbed his shoulders before falling into the ground. Now holding Ray’s sword, Castor turned back around slowly. No, at least he tried to turn around.

‘... Damn it. Did I just get played?’

If it had not been for the blade that pierced through his chest.

“I knew you were not in a good physical condition too.”

“How?”

“That’s why you lost, Castor.”

Hernan smirked.

“Fortunately, your blood is red too.”

It was then. Both Hernan and him quickly looked up to the sky. A great amount of energy spread through the earth and into the sky. The energy that had spread like a net sank upon them. Hernan recognised this energy.

That light flowed through them like rain. The light fell like snow in a country where snow would never occur. Someone started crying. With admiration, grief and love, they captured the light in their gazes.

The barrier had been reestablished.

The walls around the ancient empire had been rebuilt.

“Look. We won.”

Hernan muttered before his vision began shifting. No, he couldn’t. Not yet. He tried his best to hold out.

“You know...”

“.....”

“You should think about living your own life at least once.”

Hernan wondered how a man who had his heart pierced was not dead yet. But he thought he might have missed the organ. Did he not manage to finish him off?

“How could I not notice the condition of the man I used to stand next to all my life?”

Boom. His body collapsed for a moment.

All he could see now was the barrier spreading across the sky and Castor.

“... Sorry but I don’t die even when I get stabbed in the heart. That’s how strong I am.”

His close friend and guardian who had died for him in his previous life had stabbed him before collapsing in this life. This has never happened in the thousands of lives he lived.

The changing future. The future.

Something was lurking at the end of this. A feeling he had never felt before in the thousands of his regressions. Castor could feel the end approaching.